On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, members of the classes of ’09, ’10, and ’11 voted for their class representatives and presidents in the Student Council election. This was a big election year for the class of 2009, who, as the rising senior class, will have the largest number of representatives on the council next year. ’09s voted not only for their class president and three representatives, but also for the president and vice president of the Student Council.
Katie Defusco ’09 was elected as the 2008-2009 president of the Student Council. A three-year junior day student from Cheshire, CT, Katie will serve on the council for the first time this Spring. “It sounds corny,” she said, “but I want to make Choate a better place, an even more fun place.” Choate can expect Defusco to focus her attention during her term not only on the school but also on the surrounding Wallingford community. She says, “They put up with us; we’re in the middle of Wallingford, and we cross the streets badly and don’t always get along with ‘townies’—they give us their town to learn in, and we should be giving back to them.” One of her ideas for the upcoming year is a school-wide day of community service, either spent working in Wallingford or “giving back to the people who work behind-the-scenes at school that don’t get shown enough appreciation, such as janitors.” Defusco says she will be “very community-service-oriented,” while in office.
“I think people expect me to work on the typical issues, like extended internet hours, no dress code at dinner, etc. I’ll do my best with whatever [the student body] wants me to accomplish, or what the rest of the council feels is [a] necessary or worthwhile [project.]” Among her other plans, Defusco says she’s always wanted a second Deerfield Day, possibly in the spring, or some other type of school-wide activity to improve relations with our Massachusetts rival. She also wants to focus on making Choate a “greener” school, not just during the Green Cup. “The Green Cup is great,” she said, “but we could do other things that don’t involve tripping down the stairs because the hallway lights are always off.” She added, “Mostly I just want input from all of the grades, and I can’t wait to hear everyone’s ideas. This year’s Student Council is going to be amazing—all the representatives are so qualified.”
David Lam ’09, also a day student, will serve under Defusco as vice president of the council next year. “Knowing that [my class’s] senior year is coming up, I want to make more changes and make sure everyone has fun and leaves with a good lasting impression of Choate,” he said. As vice president, Lam will be working closely with COSA as its new chair. He added, “I’ll [also] be working with Katie and the senior class reps to focus on the school itself and the senior class.” Lam says that he and Defusco have already decided to make the Daily Grind a permanent fixture on campus. Once the student-run coffee shop has raised enough money to complete the construction of a well in Niger, Lam said he hopes to direct funds toward another cause, such as purchasing water filters for poor families in India. He said he also wants to come up with more form activities but that “that’s really up to the class reps,” whom he is “really excited to work with.”
The competition for positions on the council for the class of ’09 was fierce, since only six spots were available for thirteen candidates. Some turned to dramatic effects: Maggie Nixon ’09 got up to the podium where she proceeded to crumple her speech and throw it to the ground, and Kashi Elliot ’09, who is away on term abroad in France, had David Lim ’09 give her speech as if he were her. By far the most talked-about was Christian Kelso ’09’s stunt of swallowing a goldfish after he gave his speech. “To show all of you how much I love this form and want to be your president, I am going to eat this live goldfish,” he announced on-stage. Kelso, Nikki Collins ’09, and David Lim ’09 were elected as the form representatives.
The class chose Miles Cozart ’09 for their president. A first-time student council member, Cozart said he was inspired to run because “I feel our class is very divided, and I tend to be sort of a drifter between these two groups.” He added that Ben Pascale ’08, the president of this year’s senior class, had been an inspiration and a role model to him. Cozart’s main goal is to unite the class: “If I don’t do anything else I would just like everyone to know everyone else. My second goal is to leave our mark, possibly with another tradition like Garden Party that only seniors do every year.”
Kreagan Kennedy ’10 was elected next year’s fifth form president. Nikkita Iyer and Leah Rosen were elected as representatives for the rising fifth form. “I am so excited about working with these 3 members of the Class of 2010. They are conscientious students who will represent their form well,” said Ms. Oppegaard.
Kennedy said that while representing his form, he hopes that “the student council as a whole can continue to raise money and perform community service. On a more form- specific level, I hope to plan some awesome and fun events for the form, but also find ways to give back. Of course, any requests, complaints, or comments any one has I will bring to the administration. By doing these things I hope to make Choate a better school, the class of 2010 a better form, and myself a better person.”
Leah Rosen hopes to “to accomplish everything possible that our form asks of us. I don’t have any great ideas yet, but I’m hoping to hear some from the form and, with the other reps, come up with some of our own.”
Will Laverack ’11 will lead the rising fourth form as its president, and Shu Saha ’11 and Katherine Morales ’11 will serve as form representatives. Laverack said he was inspired to run not only by his love of the class, whose excellence he noticed on day one, but also because “Leadership has always been something that comes easy to me and something I like to do. I just had a gut feeling that I could do a good job and help improve the already spectacular freshman class,” he said. On what he plans to accomplish, Laverack said, “I want to make sure the freshman class is always united and happy together. Having fun and being together is the key to a successful class. I think the grade could benefit from more freshman activities, community service projects, and boarder-day student unity.” Saha and Morales also bring enthusiasm to their new positions, with ideas for alternative lighting in the dining hall and form unity-building events.
All of the representatives and presidents look forward to working with each other, and hope to effect change in the Choate community. They will take office in the 2008-2009 Student Council this March.
New student council members Miles Cozart ’09, David Lim ’09, Katie DeFusco ’09, Nikki Collins ’09, David Lam ’09, and Christian Kelso ’09. PHOTO/TALENTED Lizzie Needham ’09
